


If You Dare, Come a Little Closer

by ionsquare



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Consensual, Cunnilingus, F/M, Friendship/Love, Hand Jobs, Porn with Feelings, Rare Pairings, Romantic Friendship, Season/Series 03
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-19
Updated: 2013-06-19
Packaged: 2017-12-15 11:23:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/848980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ionsquare/pseuds/ionsquare
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It really starts when he looks at her not as Scott's mom, but as a woman.</p>
            </blockquote>





	If You Dare, Come a Little Closer

**Author's Note:**

> All Melissa McCall had to say was, "What do you want with Derek Hale?" AND THEN THIS HAPPENED. I guess I have a rare pair in this fandom now.
> 
> Title comes from _Stay_ by Rihanna.
> 
> If I didn't tag for something, let me know. Any remaining mistakes are mine.

It started like this: werewolves are very real, and Melissa’s own son is one. Full moon, wolfsbane, and all.  
  
Melissa sees him hanging around Scott and Stiles all the time; sometimes she’ll see him with Isaac and Peter. She knows they’re related, because she remembers Scott giving her the 411 on all the wolves he knew of in Beacon Hills.  
  
“Derek Hale.”  
  
She let’s the name roll off her tongue, squint-smiling up to him.  
  
“I can’t find my sunglasses, that’s why I’m squinting. If you were wondering, which you probably weren’t. And I don’t know why I felt the need to tell you that, but there it is,” she laughs.  
  
Derek continues to stare at her until he says, “It’s nice to officially meet you, Melissa.”  
  
Melissa’s not sure how to handle his politeness considering his gruff appearance.  
  
“Your son speaks very highly of you,” Derek adds.  
  
She can’t pinpoint the moment she liked Derek Hale as only Scott’s older friend. Maybe it was that time her car died halfway to work, and Derek happened to be driving by, took one look and fixed the problem; easy peasy. Or it could have been when she admitted to herself that maybe she wasn’t the best support system to deal with a young werewolf’s problems, and that Scott needed more than just her in his life.  
  
But actually, it really starts when he looks at her not as Scott’s mom, but as a woman.  
  
~*~  
  
They're washing dishes, both of them quiet, the only sound is Melissa's hands coming in and out of the water as she cleans, handing off each dish for Derek to dry. Scott comes in at one point saying Stiles is having an emergency and that he'll be back. Melissa says before midnight, and Scott kisses her on the cheek, giving Derek a significant look as if to say _this is my mom, and I'm trusting you to keep her safe while I'm gone_.  
  
Derek smiles tightly at Melissa as she tries to make small talk; he's not good with small talk, especially with parents. His senses are heightened suddenly, standing so close to her, noticing the way her hair curls around the nape of her neck, and he gets it -- why Peter would find her gorgeous, because she is. In her own way. Her tenacity makes her beautiful, Derek thinks. He catches the smell of cucumber melon lingering in the air around her, probably from her body wash with the way it’s seeped into her skin. He looks away quickly when her eyes pass over to him.  
  
"Your eyes."  
  
"It's nothing."  
  
"Is it... an alpha thing?"  
  
"You could say that."  
  
Melissa's still processing everything Derek and Scott told her over dinner, which is a lot. A big part of her is weirdly fascinated, and maybe it's because she's a nurse, and she likes learning new things. When Scott asked Derek to show her his face, she was confused at first, because she's seen Scott's face when he... does his shifting. But it was different with Derek, it was... more. The first thing she noticed when standing so close to Derek was how much body heat he gave off.  
  
"You're warm."  
  
Derek blinks at her. "What?"  
  
"Oh I just mean... body heat."  
  
She doesn't even think when she stops him from stepping away, her fingers encircling his wrist, squeezing.  
  
"It's nice."  
  
It's nice because for Melissa it's been so long since she's felt comfortable being so close to someone, feeling the warmth of another body so close to hers. And Derek is Derek, but he's being a gentleman and Melissa appreciates that, given everything.  
  
Derek's fingers accidentally brush hers when she hands him the last plate.  
  
She smiles a little sheepishly, brushing her hair behind her ear.  
  
Before Derek thinks on it he repeats the action, pulling his hand away when her cheek brushes against his palm.  
  
"I should go," Derek blurts out, throwing the towel aside.  
  
"Okay..." Melissa's voice tapers off, wiping her hands, almost running to catch up with him.  
  
"Thank you." Derek spins around. "For dinner. And for letting me explain."  
  
Melissa smiles and Derek leaves before he makes a giant mistake. Like kissing Scott McCall's mom.  
  
~*~  
  
Instead of calling back he goes to the hospital. She looks dead on her feet, almost frazzled, and he hates that part of her looking frazzled is Derek not answering his phone.  
  
"Melissa."  
  
She startles, looking over her shoulder, and then looks relieved.  
  
"I was so..."  
  
"I know," he says, "I'm sorry."  
  
"You're okay? Everything's okay now?"  
  
She looks so relieved, and he had to tell Scott about the alpha pack. _And she looks so relieved._  
  
"Yeah," he tells her, because he knows that's what Scott would want him to say. "Everything's fine."  
  
Melissa smiles, and Derek wants to kiss the corner of her mouth.  
  
"I should probably go--"  
  
"Did you want to get something -- Oh..."  
  
Derek blinks.  
  
Melissa looks embarrassed.  
  
"Right, of course," she clears her throat. "You have... alpha things. To do."  
  
Derek hesitates, decides. He pulls his phone out of his pocket turning it off.  
  
"I can kill some time."  
  
Melissa smiles, and Derek feels alive.  
  
~*~  
  
"Derek? Hi. Oh gosh I'm going to ramble and you're going to think to yourself, 'Scott's Mom needs to shut up and get to the point.' Okay, here goes. I'm scared--"  
  
Derek didn't even listen to the rest of Melissa's voicemail, he grabbed his keys, jumped in his car, and floored it to Scott's house. Derek knows Scott's not at home because Stiles dragged him along to some concert, which means that Melissa is alone. In the house. With an alpha pack on the loose.  
  
He flies out of the car, feet only touching two steps before he's knocking on the door with a fist.  
  
"C'mon," he mutters, debating breaking down the door.  
  
When the door opens Melissa has a towel wrapped around her head, clutching her robe close to her chest.  
  
"Der--Derek? What happened?" She tenses. "Is it Scott? He's out with Stiles, did he--"  
  
"No everything's... you called me. You said you were scared."  
  
For a moment she looks confused before it dawns on her.  
  
"Oh! That. I thought... I heard something outside. Scratching. But it was just a possum." She bites her lip, flushing. "Sorry."  
  
Derek exhales sharply, glancing around.  
  
"Mind if I double check?"  
  
"Go for it. I need to..." She motions at herself. "Still dripping."  
  
Derek already noticed, smelled the cucumber melon like a brand on her skin, he watched a drop of water slide down her neck before it disappeared in the folds of her robe. Distracting really isn't the word for it.  
  
He walks inside the house around twenty minutes later, satisfied that his investigation of the backyard and the line of the woods didn't reveal anything more sinister than the rank smell of their marsupial culprit.  
  
Melissa comes breezing out of the kitchen carrying two mugs, brandishing one at him.  
  
"I don't drink coffee.”  
  
"Oh," she says softly, crestfallen. "I can combine them."  
  
Derek hates that look on her face, taking the mug from her.  
  
"Maybe yours will be better."  
  
Her mouth twitches, taking a slow sip of her own coffee.  
  
"I wasn't sure how you took it, so I left it black."  
  
Derek licks his lips, shaking his head at her.  
  
"This is fine, and really good, actually."  
  
Somehow, they end up on the couch. She had to forcibly pull his jacket off, demanding that he should be comfortable if he was going to sit on her couch. With a heavy sigh, and some poorly hidden pleasure over being coddled, Derek relented, slouching down beside her. He's been contemplating the feel of her thigh resting against his for the past few minutes, nodding along as she makes small talk, something he's still no good at.  
  
"I thought... I thought it was Peter."  
  
At first he doesn't hear her, and then, "Peter? Why?"  
  
Melissa shrugs, feeling small all of a sudden. "Everything you and Scott told me about him, and I don't know, I just..." She shrugs again, looking at Derek straight on. "I did really like him, he made me feel... he made me feel pretty?" She laughs at herself. "That's stupid, I know, but I don't go on dates. And this guy has an actual conversation with me that isn't about my son failing all his classes, and he made me feel pretty. Beautiful, even."  
  
Derek swallows, looking away from her.  
  
"And knowing what I know about him now, I thought he was going to come after me. Or hurt me to get to Scott."  
  
Derek growls. "He will never hurt you, Melissa."  
  
"How do you know that?"  
  
He turns his face to hers, eyes flicking between her eyes and her mouth.  
  
"Because I told him not to."  
  
"How do you know he'll--"  
  
"Because I'm the alpha, Melissa. I commanded him to never come after you."  
  
Melissa inhales sharply. Derek can hear her heart rate elevating.  
  
"Why?" She asks slowly.  
  
"Because Scott needs his mother. No one should be alone, especially with the life he has now," Derek answers truthfully.  
  
She slips a hand into his, lacing their fingers together, squeezing. She's scared to death right now, but for an entirely different reason, and she knows Derek can hear it, probably smell it. And that's still so weird to her, but she hopes, deep down, that maybe Derek can hear the way her heart beats when she's around him. How he makes her feel safe, how she can breathe somewhat easier knowing that Scott has someone else in his life he can call for help.  
  
"Thank you," she says softly, tilting her face close to Derek's, looking right at his mouth.  
  
Derek closes his eyes, taking a deep breath, and he can hear himself gulping as he swallows.  
  
Melissa bites her lip, nodding, nose pressed into Derek's shoulder.  
___  
  
Scott hisses _quiet!_ at Stiles, who giggles when he trips up the steps.  
  
"I've walked up these steps hundreds of times, dude, how did I even do that?"  
  
Scott rolls his eyes, shoulders hunching when he opens the door.  
  
"What's wrong?" Stiles asks immediately, fully alert.  
  
"Derek's here."  
  
Scott and Stiles stare at one another for a few seconds before tiptoeing down the hall, peeking around the corner looking in the living room.  
  
Derek and his mom are asleep, and it's the most domestic and relaxed that Scott has ever seen Derek get. Derek's head is tilted against his mom's in a way that makes her head tuck up under his chin. His mom's even snoring a little and she only does that when she feels comfortable, safe.  
  
Stiles whispers as quietly as he can, "Should we wake them up?"  
  
Scott knows Derek can hear them, he knew it the second he and Stiles were coming down the hall, the tell-tale sign of his heartbeat ticking up, worried that Scott would admonish him for this... his mom.  
  
"No." Scott smiles back at Stiles, then back to Derek and his mom. "She's... happy."  
  
Stiles makes a choked noise. Scott punches him on the arm.  
  
"Werewolf powers, asshole! Ow!" Stiles hisses at Scott, following Scott upstairs to his room.  
___  
  
Before Derek leaves, tucking a blanket around Melissa on the couch, he kisses her softly on the forehead.  
  
When he gets to the door he says loud enough for Scott to hear, "She heard something outside and called me. She's safe now."  
  
"I know," Scott says.  
______

Melissa writes Derek's name on the bottom of the mug he used, smiling at it when she puts it back in the cabinet.  
  
"Hey! How come he gets the dragon mug?" Stiles grouses.  
  
"Because I say so, monkey breath."  
  
Stiles clings to his monkey mug defensively, kicking Scott when he laughs.  
  
~*~  
  
He tries to see her as much as he can, but everything is going wild, and he's only staying away to keep her safe. Scott gets it, but every once in awhile he'll casually throw in how his mom asks about him, asks how he's doing, and that her help is there if he ever needs it.  
  
Derek knows that, but he's better with people at a distance.  
  
And then Melissa shows up at his loft, and it throws him for a loop.  
  
"How did you... what are you..."  
  
"Are you avoiding me? Is it our age difference? It's because I'm," and she makes air quotes "'Scott's Mother' right?"  
  
Derek stares at her unsure of which question he's supposed to answer first.  
  
"You're avoiding me, aren't you?"  
  
"No," Derek answers quickly, holding up a hand. "No, I'm not. I'm not... this," he stumbles over his words, snapping his mouth shut.  
  
Melissa waits patiently.  
  
"I don't express myself well, if you hadn't noticed."  
  
"I did." She smiles at Derek. "I'm not expecting sonnets, Derek."  
  
Derek laughs at that.  
  
"Sometimes I'm better? At a distance. I'm a total fuck-up most of the time, I'm stubborn, completely pig-headed..."  
  
"But you still care about them, and I believe you're doing the best you can."  
  
"Thanks," Derek mumbles.  
  
It hits him so fast and he's still trying to catch up: all Derek can smell is cucumber melon, the oil on Melissa's hands and he wonders what she was doing, and the faint trace of honey mustard on her scrubs where there's a stain now, probably from her lunch or an early dinner. It hits him fast and all at once because she's right there in his space, pressing herself against him, her lips gently brushing his in a chaste kiss.  
  
She steps back, touching her mouth.  
  
"I don't know why I did that -- why did I do that? Don't tell Scott. Wait! He'll smell you on me won't he? He's already wondering..."  
  
Derek seriously loves when she rambles.  
  
"Wait," Derek stops her. "What's he wondering?"  
  
"You and me. Us. I don't know?"  
  
"We haven't done anything, why would he think that?"  
  
Melissa starts to blush, clearing her throat.  
  
"Scott said he noticed that I seem... happier."  
  
Derek swallows hard.  
  
"I don't," she says quickly. "I mean you don't have to say anything, you don't even have to do anything, Derek. It's nice to have someone to talk to, someone who... cares about me in all of this? Stiles' dad cares, but that's different, I've known him a very long time." She clears her throat, looking down at her shoes, laughing softly. "I don't even know what I'm trying to say."  
  
Derek still doesn't know what to say, looking at anything but her.  
  
"I better go. Yes, I need to go."  
  
Derek lets Melissa get three steps before he dashes after her, gently turning her around cupping her beautiful face in his hands, lowering his mouth to hers. There's a very faint taste of peppermint when his tongue slips between her parted lips, and it unravels something in him. His arms come around her waist, bringing her close as her arms wrap around his neck, sighing into his mouth. It's been so long since he's allowed himself this kind of luxury, to let himself give in, to fall under the spell of someone's lips touching his, kissing until neither of them can breathe. It's been so long that it makes him heartsick, finally pulling away from her soft, lush mouth, gripping her face in his hands.  
  
"Wow," she whispers. “Your eyes red, again."  
  
He lets her fingers touch his face, holding still, heart beating so fast it feels like it might burst right out of his chest.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"I will be," he says. "Soon enough."  
  
"I think you should kiss me again."  
  
Derek laughs at her bold humor.  
  
"I better not. Scott--"  
  
"Is old enough to understand that it's none of his business what his mother consents to do," she tells him firmly, eyes alight with mischief. "I kissed you first."  
  
"Actually..." Derek takes one of her hands, tracing his fingers over her palm, placing a kiss there. "I kissed you first."  
  
She narrows her eyes at him.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"That night you were scared. Before I left I kissed your forehead."  
  
Melissa's face softens at his words, wrapping her arms around Derek, hugging him as hard as she can. She buries her face in his neck, squeezing harder.  
  
Derek's fingers card through her hair and stroke gently down her neck, making her shiver and sigh.  
  
"You're so warm," she mumbles.  
  
Derek hums in response, reveling in the feel of her body; of her willingly wanting to be touched by him, and liking it. The feeling is so foreign to him that it frightens him a little.  
  
"I still think you should kiss me again."  
  
Derek pulls back ducking his head, looking at their clasped hands.  
  
"Don't be shy, it's me," she says, bending her head to look him in the eyes, smiling.  
  
"I know." Derek smiles at her. "Believe me, I know."  
  
Melissa nods as if she understands what he's really trying to convey. And he likes that about her, that he doesn't always have to tell her everything, explain it, because she knows. Without Derek having to say why, she knows.  
  
Derek walks with her to her car, tugging on her hand.  
  
"What is it?" She asks.  
  
Derek leans in kissing the corner of her mouth, lips brushing with hers, letting the touch linger. He doesn't immediately pull back, but stays close to gauge her reaction.  
  
Melissa smiles, kissing Derek right under his chin.  
___  
  
The smell of cucumber melon sticks in the air of Derek's loft for a couple days. Scott notices, Derek can tell, and he's thankful that Scott chooses to ignore it.  
  
~*~  
  
Derek surprises her at work.  
  
He smells her before he sees her, paper bag clutched in one hand as he makes his way to her station. He approaches slowly, cautiously, head turning away so as not to listen in on their conversation.  
  
Melissa’s friend nudges her gently, pointing right at him, and then Melissa looks over her shoulder.  
  
"Derek?"  
  
He closes the distance, smiling tentatively.  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Hi." She smiles, brushing a stray hair behind her ear.  
  
Melissa's friend clears her throat, looking at Derek appreciatively and winking at Melissa.  
  
"Ignore her," Melissa says, shooing her friend away and coming around the desk to stand in front of him. "What're you doing here?"  
  
Derek holds up the paper bag.  
  
"Scott called me; he got busy with Isaac. Asked me if I could bring you your dinner."  
  
"You didn't have to do that."  
  
"I wanted to."  
  
Melissa blushes, clearing her throat.  
  
"Well thanks, but you really didn’t have to." Her stomach chooses that moment to rumble loudly and she laughs. "I guess I'm hungrier than I thought."  
  
"When do you get off work?" Derek blurts out.  
  
Melissa smiles slowly. "Really, really late."  
  
"I can wait for you?" Derek offers, self-consciously shoving his hands in his jacket pockets.  
  
"I have my car?"  
  
"Then I'll follow you home."  
  
"Derek."  
  
"Please, Melissa," Derek insists. He refuses to take the risk, even though she's driven home a dozen times without his help. But with the threat of the alpha pack, losing Erica and Boyd, Derek doesn't want to take anymore chances. He doesn't want to lose anyone else on his watch.  
  
"Okay," Melissa agrees. "Okay." She squeezes his forearm, stepping closer to him.  
  
Derek inhales sharply, steeling himself.  
  
Melissa hesitates for a second before she stops, shaking her head.  
  
"What is it?" Derek asks.  
  
"Can you smell when someone... wants you?" She whispers under her breath.  
  
Derek deliberately flashes his red eyes at her knowing her heart rate will spike.  
  
Melissa flushes hotly, pulling Derek into one of the back offices, shutting the blinds on the door and the window.  
  
"Whitney will be back soon. No one will know I'm gone."  
  
Derek slides a hand up her neck, keeping it there, letting his thumb rest against her pulse.  
  
"Calm down," he tells her.  
  
"I'm calm," she replies confidently. "Just, you. Being so close."  
  
Derek's mouth twitches a little.  
  
"So what are we," Melissa begins but stops, gasping when she feels Derek nosing at her hair, inhaling and exhaling deeply. "What are you doing?" She breathes out, staring at the ceiling.  
  
"Pert Plus," Derek murmurs, fingering a curl of her hair.  
  
Melissa tilts her head back to look at him, eyes flicking over his face.  
  
Derek gently lifts her chin up, nosing along the slope of her throat, and then behind her ear.  
  
"Cucumber melon.”  
  
Melissa sighs, keeping her head tilted back for him.  
  
"Vanilla and cinnamon. You made pancakes?"  
  
Melissa tips her chin back down, feeling warm and a little light-headed.  
  
"Breakfast. For Scott. But that was hours ago, and I've washed my hands about fifty times today, how did you--"  
  
Derek shakes his head. "Doesn't matter, the scent is still there; almost like a brand. You smell like cucumber melon all the time, though."  
  
"Body wash," she admits.  
  
"I know." Derek grins.  
  
She feels bold suddenly, grabbing his jacket and tugging him closer, wrapping her arms across his shoulders, thankful for the wedge of her sneakers giving her lift. Derek wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her up and against him until she's up on the tips of her toes. He kisses her first, just a soft press of his lips on hers in silent question, and she parts her mouth under his in answer. She doesn't know how it happens but the kiss leads to more, and she's desperate to feel him touching her, holding her, wanting her. She makes a happy noise of pleasure when she feels his hips rolling into hers, and when she goes to push back he puts a firm hand on her hip.  
  
"No," Melissa hears herself whine, fingers curling into his jacket.  
  
"Melissa," he croaks.  
  
"I know, I know," she groans, frustrated, forehead resting on his chest.  
  
Derek slides his hands up her back, one hand squeezing the back of her neck, nose pressed into her hair.  
  
Melissa gathers her wits about her, still frustrated and wanting, pulling him close for one more kiss. Derek obliges her.  
  
The kiss is hot, and a little filthy, and Melissa has never felt this alive and powerful before. She nips at Derek's kiss-bruised lips before surging back in for more, moaning into his mouth and making Derek growl, his mouth hungrily attacking hers.  
  
Derek relents though, pulling away with a gasp, staring wide-eyed at her.  
  
"Yes, I'm an adult, and I can play dirty."  
  
Derek laughs, swallowing, taking a deep breath.  
  
"Your eyes go red everytime we kiss."  
  
"It’s something that happens. Instinctual."  
  
Melissa's about to say something when she hears the trill of Whitney's voice over the intercom, letting her know she's needed in ICU.  
  
"Go," Derek insists, pulling open the door for her.  
  
"Thank you for the food, and for... this." She bites her lip. "See you later?"  
  
"I'll be waiting."  
___  
  
Melissa refused to let him drive home, telling Derek it's five in the morning, and demanding that he at least take a nap on the couch.  
  
He wakes up with the feel of six pairs of eyes boring holes into his back. It's bad enough that he heard all three members of his pack wake up because their heart rates changed.  
  
"What?" Derek barks, turning around and sitting up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.  
  
"What are your intentions with my Mom?" Scott asks first.  
  
"She's like my second Mom, dude, I will kill you myself if you hurt her feelings in any way." Stiles snaps.  
  
"I actually really like her, so. Yeah. What's up?" Isaac finishes.  
  
Derek stares at all of them, their arms folded over their chests, Scott looking intrigued while Stiles looks on with murderous intent. Isaac looks like he mostly wants to go back to sleep.  
  
Derek sighs heavily.  
  
"I don't know." Derek looks at Scott. "I like being around her? She's the only person I've met recently that doesn't look at me or talk to me with judgment. It's... nice. And anyway, I'd rather hurt your feelings, Green Lantern underwear," Derek retorts, sneering at Stiles.  
  
Stiles covers the front of his boxers defensively, glaring at Derek.  
  
"Go back to bed, Isaac."  
  
"Yeah okay," Isaac mumbles, stalking back upstairs.  
  
The sound of socked feet running down the stairs quiets them all, and then Melissa's rushing into the living room, smiling brightly, her hair threatening to tumble out of the messy ponytail she has it in.  
  
She must not register Scott and Stiles' presence, coming to a stop at the couch, still smiling brightly at Derek.  
  
"You stayed," she says breathlessly.  
  
Derek opens his mouth, eyes flicking over to Scott and Stiles, pleading at them for help.  
  
"H _eee_ y, Mom."  
  
"Shit!" She squeals, spinning around. "Why are you awake?" She demands. "It's Sunday. Neither of you are awake this early on a Sunday."  
  
"Why are you awake?" Stiles demands of her, immediately cowering when Melissa sends a deadly look his way. "Sorry," he mutters.  
  
Scott wrinkles his nose.  
  
"Please don't." Melissa shuts her eyes, sighing.  
  
"Mom, it's kinda obvious..."  
  
"Scott!" Derek shouts unexpectedly, surprising himself.  
  
All three of them stare at Derek.  
  
"I better get back to the loft. Isaac went back to bed, do you mind?" Derek asks Melissa, grabbing his jacket off the back of the couch.  
  
Melissa looks visibly upset, glaring at Scott and Stiles, and then at Derek.  
  
"Why are you leaving?"  
  
"I have to go," he answers quietly, trying his best to not look at Scott and Stiles.  
  
"You really don't. I want you... to stay," she clears her throat.  
  
Stiles coughs.  
  
Melissa huffs, taking Derek's hand dragging him towards the front door.  
  
"Melissa, I--"  
  
"This is not how I expected this morning going."  
  
"Are you mad at me?"  
  
"Of course not."  
  
"Then what's--"  
  
"I was going to wake you up, maybe with a kiss. I don't know. I wanted to surprise you." She laughs at that. "Isn't there a saying that goes never surprise a werewolf? It's impossible. I wanted to give you something nice to think about all day, because sometimes I think about you, and you drive me absolutely crazy--"  
  
Derek shuts her up with a kiss, which he immediately regrets because he hasn't even brushed his teeth yet, but Melissa has, and fuck, she was prepared.  
  
"You were prepared," he murmurs against her mouth.  
  
Melissa grins. "Of course."  
  
Derek looks over Melissa's shoulder and sees Scott and Stiles watching them. He grins down at her, flipping them off behind her back.  
  
"Will I see you again soon?"  
  
Derek nods. "I'll try, I promise."  
  
Melissa kisses him one more time, for luck.  
  
~*~  
  
Melissa has seen a lot of blood in her years of being a nurse, but when Derek Hale comes barreling into the hospital, on a stretcher, she's not even sure if he's alive or not.  
  
She has tunnel vision as she runs down the hall, ignoring Stiles' dad, ignoring her son, Stiles, Lydia, Isaac, and everyone else that comes running in behind the stretcher.  
  
"Mom," Scott whispers, reaching for her.  
  
Melissa steps away from him, holding up her hands, looking at each of them.  
  
"Waiting room, now."  
  
And that's that.  
  
She gets as much information from the EMTs as possible, holding onto the stretcher as she leads them to an empty room at the end of the hall.  
  
"I've got it," she says, keeping her voice calm, firm.  
  
Derek looks gray, wheezing as he tries to breathe.  
  
"Can you tell me what happened?"  
  
"Kali. Dagger. Wolfsbane." Derek chokes, coughing up blood, slimy and black.  
  
"Why is it black?"  
  
"Trying to... heal. Can't."  
  
She frowns. "Wolfsbane? How did wolfsbane do this?"  
  
"New... strand," he wheezes.  
  
She nods, taking a deep breath, staring at all the red and black covering his body. She starts to cry.  
  
"I don't... I don't know what to do, Derek," she whispers.  
  
"Get pack. Go. Be fine."  
  
The fact that while covered in blood he's trying to reassure her says a lot about Derek Hale.  
  
Melissa walks out, running back down the hall, almost knocking down Stiles' dad.  
  
"Melissa--"  
  
"Not now, later," she says, brushing him off. She finds everyone standing in a circle in the waiting room, all of them turning to look at her, waiting with bated breath.  
  
She opens her mouth and all that comes out is a heaving gasp, covering her face trying so hard not to cry in front of them. Surprisingly, it's Stiles who steps forward, hugging her until she pulls away, kissing him on the cheek.  
  
"Derek needs you," she says, looking at each of the wolves present. Peter showed up, which is a surprise to both her and the rest of them, from what she can tell by the looks on their faces.  
  
They all follow her: Scott, Isaac, Boyd, and Peter.  
  
Scott stops her with his hands on her shoulders.  
  
"Stay out here, okay?"  
  
"I've seen worse, Scott. I can handle it."  
  
"Mom, you're the strongest woman I know, and I wouldn't ask you to do this if it wasn't important."  
  
"Okay," she agrees. She squeezes his hands before letting him go. "Fix this, Scott."  
  
Scott looks at her grimly, shutting the door.  
  
When Derek starts screaming, she sits down on the floor, arms folded over her knees as she cries.  
___  
  
"Melissa," a voice says gently.  
  
She must've fallen asleep, lifting her head looking around blearily, and then up at the face of Peter Hale.  
  
"Derek’s asking for you."  
  
She gets to her feet slowly, taking a deep breath before opening the door. Derek doesn't look gray anymore, but he looks sickly and pale now, thin sheen of sweat shining on his face.  
  
"Can you stitch me up?"  
  
"What do you mean?" She asks, bewildered, because shouldn't he be healing?  
  
"I'm healing really slowly, but not quickly enough for me to leave. Can you stitch me up?"  
  
Melissa glares at him.  
  
"Leave? You can't leave, Derek. You were dying! Literally, dying. Right in front of me." She's yelling, and she's frazzled, and she's still freaking out. "Derek, you were dying."  
  
"I'm not dying now."  
  
She inhales sharply at his tone, laughing a little sarcastically, nodding her head.  
  
"Fine," she snaps. "I need to get everything."  
  
With one last reproach-laden glare she leaves the room.  
  
"Seriously?" Scott growls at Derek. "Don't talk to my Mom like that, Derek."  
  
Derek just stares at the ceiling, stoney-faced.  
  
"Kissing her won't make her forgive you."  
  
Those words cut Derek a little, jaw clenching. They all leave by the time Melissa gets back, and Derek watches as she meticulously sterilizes the needles. She rolls the table over to the bed, snapping on a pair of latex gloves, mouth still pressed in a firm, unapproving line.  
  
"Where?" Her voice is harsh to Derek's ears; he doesn't like it.  
  
Derek lifts his tattered shirt, showing her the gash that starts near his heart going down all the way to his sternum.  
  
Melissa doesn't even flinch.  
  
"Will the stitches dissolve eventually?"  
  
"Yes," he answers. "When my body can fully heal."  
  
It takes almost an hour under Melissa's steady hands to get the gash sewn up. She wipes iodine on the wound making him hiss, doing it again.  
  
Derek grabs her hand.  
  
"Please don't be mad at me, Melissa."  
  
She pulls her hand out of his, stepping away to throw the gloves in the trash.  
  
"You should take it easy until you're fully healed. If you need any painkillers let me know."  
  
The room is cold without her there, and Derek hasn't felt this alone in a while.  
___  
  
Three weeks later, Derek's knocking on Melissa's door.  
  
The smile melts away when she answers, folding her arms over her chest, shielding herself.  
  
"Scott isn't here."  
  
"I know, I came to talk to you."  
  
"There's nothing to say, Derek."  
  
"Melissa, please," he begs. He just wants to talk to her.  
  
"Are you healing alright?"  
  
"I don’t even have a scar. I'm fine. Please, talk to me."  
  
"Derek--"  
  
"I miss talking to you, Melissa."  
  
"Derek, stop."  
  
He gets a foot in the door, but she slams the door on his foot.  
  
"Back off... please."  
  
Derek steps as far from the door as he can get, swallowing hard.  
  
"I'm sorry. For hurting you. I'm sorry."  
___  
  
Scott calls him three days later.  
  
"What?" Derek answers.  
  
"She wants to talk to you. I don't know why. Stiles tried to talk her out of it."  
  
"Of course he did."  
  
"Come on, Derek. It’s my _mom_."  
  
"Fine."  
  
Scott and Stiles answer the door, Stiles glaring at him the entire time.  
  
"Where is she?" Derek asks, stepping inside.  
  
"Upstairs," Scott says. "I think... I think she had a nightmare. She won't tell me."  
  
Derek takes the stairs two at a time, knocking softly on her bedroom door.  
  
The door swings open, and Melissa looks fairly shocked to see him, until it seems to dawn on her.  
  
"Scott," she groans.  
  
"He said sorry, that he had to call me," Derek tells her.  
  
"I'm fine," she assures Derek. "Nothing to worry about."  
  
"Scott told me you had a nightmare."  
  
Derek stands there awkwardly shifting on his feet, hands stuffed down in his jeans.  
  
"Did you want to talk about it?" Derek asks.  
  
"Not really." She sighs and holds the door open. "Come in."  
  
Derek blinks.  
  
"I'm not talking to you about this unless you get in here."  
  
Derek cautiously steps into her room and he's assaulted by every single smell that reminds him of Melissa. There's no way this room isn't hers. He stands statue still, taking it in with a deep breath until he feels Melissa's hands on his face, grounding him.  
  
"M'okay," he mumbles.  
  
Melissa quickly takes her hands off his face, flexing her fingers as if she'd touched fire.  
  
"The nightmare was about you," she admits.  
  
"Me? What happened?"  
  
"You died. Derek, I watched you come into the hospital covered in blood. Red and black. I've never seen black blood before," she waves her hands to stop him from interrupting. "Werewolf thing, I know. Still. I'm new at all this. You were dying," she says in a pained voice. "You were dying, Derek. And I keep having nightmares about that, about you dying in my arms. I'm covered in your blood and you're dying in my arms, and I can't save you..."  
  
Derek squeezes her shoulders.  
  
"Breathe, Melissa, breathe."  
  
"You can't die, Derek, okay? You can't."  
  
"That's a tall order, but I'll do my best not to."  
  
"The way you brushed it off like it was nothing bothered me, and it hurt."  
  
Derek nods, taking her hands in his, squeezing.  
  
"I'm sorry. You seem so grounded about everything that I forget you’re not used to having to deal with things like this."  
  
She looks at him with heartbreak in her eyes. “No one should ever have to get _used_ to stuff like this.”  
  
"Melissa, you need to understand that even though I heal fast, I can still be killed. Can you deal with that?"  
  
She looks at their hands clasped together for a long time.  
  
"I can try," she answers timidly.  
  
Suddenly, Melissa's stomach growls, making them both laugh.  
  
"Come on, I'll make you something to eat."  
  
Derek holds the door open for her, falling in step beside her.  
  
"You know how to cook?" She grins at him, impressed.  
  
"For you? Yes."  
___  
  
"This is so weird," Scott says, looking beside him at Stiles.  
  
"Dude, you're the one who invited him in here to touch your food."  
  
Melissa rolls her eyes.  
  
"Will you two shut up? He doesn't have cooties."  
  
Melissa has her chin resting in her hand, leaning against the island of the kitchen, watching Derek cook. She's actually staring at his ass, but nobody besides her needs to know that.  
  
Well, no one until Stiles nudges her elbow, quirking an eyebrow. She smacks him on the back of the head.  
  
Derek flips an omelet onto a plate, sprinkling a tiny bit of pepper on it, sliding the plate towards Melissa. He smacks Stiles' hand when he excitedly tries to steal the plate from her.  
  
"You can make your own." Derek glares back at Stiles.  
  
Melissa cuts a small triangle with her fork, eyes widening at the burst of flavor on her tongue.  
  
"Oh my god," she covers her mouth. "Oh my god, this is delicious."  
  
"It's the only thing I know how to make without burning it."  
  
"Why am I not surprised?" Scott says, darting away from Derek when Derek tries to smack him. Scott holds up two boxes of cereal at Stiles. "Pick one."  
  
Soon the kitchen is full of the sounds of Scott and Stiles eating their cereal, murmuring softly to one another; Melissa quietly tucks into her omelet, every once in a while stealing looks at Derek, who smiles back at her, peeling an orange for himself.  
  
"You guys look like teenagers," Scott snorts.  
  
"Shut up, Scott," Derek and Melissa say together.  
  
"Oh god, this is way too weird. I'm escaping before Derek calls me _son_."  
  
Melissa glances at the doorway and watches the boys leave. She looks back at Derek, eating the last bite of her omelet, stepping between Derek's open legs.  
  
Derek eats another segment of orange, watching her closely.  
  
Melissa leans in, looping her arms around Derek's neck, her lips seeking the attention of Derek's.  
  
Derek pulls her down on his lap, pressing them together.  
  
She gasps against his mouth, staring into his eyes.  
  
"Is this okay?"  
  
"Yeah," she says breathlessly, nodding and attacking his mouth.  
  
Derek licks the pepper from her tongue, panting heavily, fingers curling into her hair tugging gently.  
  
Melissa groans at the tug, pressing her hips down into Derek's.  
  
They're so lost in each other, in the kiss, that they completely miss Stiles darting back into the kitchen to retrieve his phone, narrowly missing toppling over the trash can as he flees back out. Derek reaches down to squeeze her thighs while she rocks her hips down, already starting a rhythm.  
  
She huffs softly, pulling away from his mouth to lick her own lips.  
  
Derek pushes his face into her neck, arms wrapping around Melissa's waist.  
  
She sighs, holding him close, her hips circling against his.  
  
"'Lissa," he moans, kissing her neck.  
  
Melissa's never heard her name sound like that, and she wants Derek touching her somewhere, anywhere. She takes one of his hands and pressing his knuckles against her, shuddering at the sensation it gives her.  
  
Derek's face is still pressed into her neck, mouthing there intently, sucking a bruise on her skin.  
  
She squeezes her eyes shut, mouth open in silent _O_ , rubbing relentlessly against his knuckles until she's shuddering, finally gasping for air, deep lungfuls as she rocks herself through her climax.  
  
They're both quiet for a few minutes; Derek's running his hands over her back while her fingers curl in the hair at the nape of his neck.  
  
"You didn't," she pulls back to look at him, surreptitiously looking down at his crotch then back to his face.  
  
Derek kisses her hard, and then kisses her cheek.  
  
"This wasn't about me," he tells her, holding her face in his hands.  
  
"But--"  
  
"Melissa, you gave me something I haven't had in years."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Worth."  
  
Her breath hitches, mouth trembling as she smiles.  
  
"That means more than you'll ever know."  
___  
  
"Are they?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Can you--"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Is she?"  
  
Scott looks at Stiles.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Happy?"  
  
Scott smiles thoughtfully.  
  
"Immensely."  
  
"Oh gross."  
  
"Dude!" Scott punches Stiles.  
  
~*~  
  
Scott shows up one night without any warning and surprises Derek.  
  
"So my Mom requests your presence at dinner. Please don't make me say it again once is bad enough."  
  
Derek stares at him, processing.  
  
"Ok _aaa_ y," Derek says, giving Scott the side-eye. "Let me get my jacket."  
  
When they arrive at Scott's, Derek pauses at the porch steps, shoulders tense.  
  
"Why are there a lot of people here?"  
  
Scott looks embarrassed and guilty all at once.  
  
"Don't get mad okay? She wanted to do something nice for you."  
  
"What's going on, Scott?"  
  
"Derek--"  
  
"Tell me what's going on Scott or I'm walking home."  
  
"It's a birthday party okay? Well, it was supposed to be a surprise birthday party," Scott mutters, shifting uncomfortably.  
  
"I never told any of you my birthday."  
  
"My Mom is pretty close with the sheriff of Beacon Hills, who has access to information... like someone's birthday."  
  
Derek snorts at that.  
  
"There's no way sheriff Stilinski told your mom when my birthday is."  
  
Scott continues to look shifty, and then it dawns on Derek.  
  
"Stiles," Derek grumbles, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Can you please at least act surprised? For her sake."  
  
Derek climbs the stairs with a little more force than strictly necessary.  
  
"Let's get this over with."  
___  
  
Derek is actually surprised.  
  
He has no idea how Melissa got everyone to show up -- Stiles, Isaac, Boyd, Lydia, Allison. (Peter showed up, but didn't stay for cake.)  
  
It's small and intimate feeling, and Derek is oddly enough enjoying himself. Maybe because no one is dying, no one is screaming, and no one is coughing up blood. It's just the group of them, who've been through a lot together, taking a break to eat food and make jokes. At Derek's expense.  
  
"No," Stiles starts saying, hands expressive as he speaks. "When he stopped Isaac from going after me in the police station and when I asked how he did it he said," and Stiles' voice goes deep and growly, brow furrowed. “ _I'm the alpha._ "  
  
Allison and Lydia collapse into a fit of giggles; Derek glares at them and fixes Stiles in his red-eyed gaze.  
  
"I didn't hear you complaining after I saved your life."  
  
Stiles barks out a laugh.  
  
"C'mon, man. I'm only teasing."  
  
Derek can’t resist faking a lunge at Stiles, who ends up squawking and nearly falling off the couch. It takes a bit, but the laughter eventually settles leaving Derek looking at Stiles with a smug expression.  
  
Melissa's been mostly quiet the whole night, Derek noticed. Her smile was bright and easy when he and Scott walked in to shouts of _Surprise!_ even though Stiles could tell that it wasn't a surprise. It didn't matter because Melissa was so obviously happy to see Derek smiling. It felt good to have people around him being happy for a change, to walk into a house that felt warm and homey. If this was Melissa's idea of a surprise, well, she really surprised Derek. The last time he felt like this he was sixteen, and his family wasn't dead, burned alive by his mistake.  
  
"Where'd you go?" Melissa whispers in his ear.  
  
Derek looks at her sitting beside him, leaning against him like she belongs there.  
  
"I'm still here," Derek murmurs, smiling at her.  
  
Melissa doesn't even hesitate when she wraps her arms around his arms, resting her head on his shoulder, smiling at everyone as they continue to laugh and share stories.  
  
Derek kisses the top of Melissa's head, breathing in her scent, letting it overwhelm him.  
  
He feels at home here.  
___  
  
Derek actually gets birthday presents.  
  
Boyd and Isaac give him the wax he likes to use on the Camaro; it's not cheap, and Derek thanks them at least ten times. Scott gives him a shaving kit; he tells Derek 'just in case.' Stiles' present is clearly a joke when Derek reads the title: _Being Zen For Dummies_. Melissa takes it from Derek before he chucks it at Stiles’ head. Allison and Lydia give him a brand new leather jacket. Derek doesn't say anything for about five minutes.  
  
"Is he okay?" Allison asks Lydia, who shrugs at Allison, confused.  
  
Derek finally speaks up.  
  
"Mine belonged to my Dad."  
  
Everyone gets very quiet. Melissa looks at Derek and then to the girls, who look at her with wide eyes.  
  
"I'm... we," Allison stutters. "We didn't know. Scott's mom said yours has a hole in it, and the blood..."  
  
Derek stands up hugging Allison first, and then Lydia.  
  
"Thank you, both of you."  
  
"Did he just hug us?" Lydia asks everyone else, making them all chuckle, mostly in relief.  
  
"Thank you," Derek looks at all of them. "All of you... for everything. Honestly, thank you."  
  
Melissa stands up then, holding out a small box to Derek.  
  
"One more present to go."  
  
She hands him the box, smiling eagerly.  
  
"Open it."  
  
Derek looks at the box then to Melissa.  
  
"I thought you and Scott..."  
  
Melissa waves a hand at Derek.  
  
"Scott wanted to do something on his own, and I told him I'd already had something in mind. Now, open it."  
  
Derek unwraps the box, crumpling the navy blue wrapping tossing it at Stiles' head, who glares at him but chucks it at Scott. Derek opens the box carefully and inside is a beautiful silver watch.  
  
"Melissa, this is--"  
  
"Exactly what I wanted to give you. It belonged to my great-grandfather. I'd forgotten about it until I did some spring cleaning," she explains. "I knew who I wanted to give it to," she smiles at him, pointing a finger at it. "Look closely."  
  
Derek lifts the watch out of the box, looking at the scene of a wolf howling at the moon.  
  
"Turn it over," she tells him.  
  
Derek swallows thickly, emotion clearly getting the better of him, engraved underneath is **Erit fortis**.  
  
" _Erit fortis_?"  
  
Melissa steps up to him, squeezing his wrist.  
  
"It's Latin; it means be brave."  
  
Derek starts breathing heavily, staring at Melissa's beautiful, beautiful face, her warm brown eyes that look at him with nothing but admiration and maybe love. Derek hasn't loved anyone in a long time; the last person he even recalls saying those three words to was Laura. But looking at Melissa, he feels like saying it, and he wants to say it. All these months of getting to know her, talking with her and opening up to someone who didn't immediately pass judgment on him, Derek feels like maybe he could love someone again. He could love her. He might.  
  
He doesn't realize what he's doing, but before he knows it he's pushing everything in his hands at Lydia and pulling Melissa close.  
  
Taking her face in his hands, Derek kisses her like it's the first time again, when it was on the edge of desperate. Right now Derek is desperate for her touch. She makes a soft noise of surprise, but she melts right into him, pressing her body to his like it's where she belongs. He kisses her with conviction, hoping that she knows how much he wants her; always wants her. He feels her mouth parting to catch her breath, and it's quick, but their mouths are right back where they were. His fingers get tangled in her hair, tugging a little, and the small moan she elicits goes right to his dick.  
  
Derek pulls back with a gasp, licking his lips; Melissa mimics his action.  
  
"Wow," Lydia and Allison say.  
  
Boyd and Isaac whistle lowly.  
  
Scott's looking at his phone which is amusingly upside down.  
  
"I'm going to puke," Stiles groans. Lydia kicks him.  
  
Soon enough after that everyone starts to leave. Melissa sends everyone off with a piece of cake wrapped in tinfoil. Derek hugs Allison and Lydia each again, and does an awkward half-hug half-fistbump with Isaac and Boyd. He elbows Stiles in the ribs just because, and thanks Scott for convincing him to come.  
  
"So I'm staying with Stiles tonight," Scott says, eying Derek closely. Stiles does his best to pretend he's not involved in this conversation at all.  
  
"I don't know what you mean."  
  
Scott exchanges a look with Stiles.  
  
"I'm staying," Scott says again, slowly, knowingly. "With Stiles. Tonight."  
  
Derek's eyes widen, quickly looking at Melissa, who's talking with Allison and Lydia. She must feel his eyes on her because she meets his look, smiling warmly at him.  
  
"Scott. I don't... that's not..."  
  
"Dude I am not saying have sex with my Mom. You know... hang out for a while. She clearly likes kissing you. It's not my place to tell her what to do." Scott nods at Derek. "But it is my place to remind you that she is my Mom, and I will kill you if you even so much as tell her that her shirt is ugly."  
  
Derek's mouth open and closes, still shocked.  
  
"Love you, Mom," Scott calls out loudly, walking over and hugging her. "Staying with Stiles, that okay?"  
  
"Be good! Have fun!" She hugs him tight.  
  
And then there were two.  
  
"Did you want help cleaning up?" Derek offers.  
  
"Leave it," Melissa says, taking his hand, tugging him towards the stairs. "I'm tired."  
  
Derek gulps.  
  
"I can sleep on the couch..." He stumbles into her when she tugs on him harder, forehead resting against hers.  
  
"My bed is a lot more comfortable."  
  
Melissa starts walking up the stairs as if she knows Derek will follow, and he does.  
  
When they get in her bedroom she leads him over to her bed.  
  
"Sit," she commands, pushing down on his shoulders.  
  
Derek falls on the bed, hands fanning out on either side of him looking up at her.  
  
"I'm going to get ready for bed, okay?"  
  
Derek nods.  
  
"Okay."  
  
Derek is so not prepared for what happens next.  
  
Melissa gently tosses her hair off her shoulders, slowly undoing each button on her blouse, when she gets to the last button she stops, tilting her head at him.  
  
"You do it."  
  
Derek licks his lips already staring at the skin he can see peeking through the opening gap of her blouse. With shaky fingers Derek carefully undoes the button, letting the silky material flutter open until Melissa grips the blouse by the collar, pulling it off her shoulders.  
  
"You can touch me," she whispers, reaching for his hand.  
  
Derek swallows, letting her guide his hand to her stomach, thumb brushing her belly button, bringing his other hand up, letting them rest on her waist. He sees a freckle under her right breast on her rib bone.  
  
Melissa lifts his chin.  
  
"It's okay, Derek. You can touch me."  
  
"Okay," he breathes out shakily.  
  
Derek pulls her down for a kiss, pushing her hair off her face and looking right in her eyes.  
  
"You’re beautiful, Melissa."  
  
"So are you," she whispers, pecking him on the mouth, standing straight again. "Do you want me to... keep going?"  
  
Derek eyebrows shoot up.  
  
"Do you want to keep going? I won't do anything you aren't comfortable with."  
  
Melissa bites her lip, gripping the hem of her jeans, eyes on Derek the whole time as she slips the button from the hole, slowly pulling down the zipper until it stops. And then she's standing there, jeans open, staring at Derek.  
  
Derek fingers a belt loop, tugging her close so she's standing between his legs. Her hands rest on his shoulders, gripping hard, and he can sense her nervousness laced with arousal.  
  
"Can I?" Derek asks, hands on her hips.  
  
"Yes," she answers softly.  
  
Derek starts shrugging off her jeans taking his time to drink in the sight of all the skin before him. His hands become bold, mind not catching up quickly enough, reaching around to gently squeeze her ass making her whimper. He does it again, watching her swivel her hips, pushing back into his hands, jeans pooling around her feet.  
  
Melissa steps out of her jeans and right onto Derek's lap, pushing him back on the bed arching against him, tightening her thighs around him.  
  
"Fuck," he exhales, gripping her hips when she does it again. "'Lissa..."  
  
"I like when you say my name like that."  
  
Derek isn't thinking straight when he tilts his head back, neck exposed. The soft scrape of teeth raking over the skin jars him, growling instinctively in warning.  
  
Melissa sits up fast, covering her mouth.  
  
"I'm sorry!" she squeaks.  
  
Derek breathes deeply staring at the ceiling.  
  
"It's okay, hey..." Derek sits up, tucking her hair behind her ears, kissing her with a gentle coax of his lips. They kiss like that for a few minutes, tongues sliding together, lips touching, teeth nipping. Derek slots his mouth with Melissa's kissing her deeply now, and he feels her clinging to him, making soft noises of pleasure, heart beating rabbit-fast.  
  
"S'okay," Derek murmurs. "It's a wolf thing."  
  
"Why did you growl?"  
  
"Wolves don't bare their throats to just anyone. Exposing my throat, as an alpha, is my way of saying, yes, I give you permission to..." Derek feels himself blushing.  
  
"Take control," Melissa answers huskily.  
  
Derek swallows. "That's one way of putting it."  
  
"What if I want you," she leans in, grinning, lips brushing Derek's. "To take control?"  
  
Derek answers by rolling them over, gently brushing away Melissa’s hair from her face. His body responds immediately to the soft, lush press of her body against his running his hands down her abdomen, and he wants to lick that freckle so bad right now. His eyes drink her in hungrily, nipping her collarbone, letting his tongue swirl around and in her belly button making her muscles flutter, her body shaking under his hands.     
  
"Hey," Derek says, looming above her. "Are you okay?"  
  
Melissa's shaking, staring up into the unbelievably gorgeous face of Derek Hale. His hands are touching her, his tongue is hot and wet on her skin, his kisses make her toes curl, and he's asking her if she's okay.  
  
"Yeah," she breathes out, "yeah."  
  
"You're shaking," Derek frowns. "Are you absolutely sure?"  
  
Melissa shudders, goosebumps prickling her skin, smiling up at him.  
  
"I haven't been touched... in a while." She covers her face, laughing nervously.  
  
To Derek it sounds like she's crying and he tugs on one of her wrists.  
  
"It's okay, hey." He can see her face again, her cheeks pink with embarrassment. "I understand."  
  
She nods at him, swallowing.  
  
"Okay," she nods again. "Wait, but, I want to touch you too. Let me see you." She cups his face in her hands. "Let me see you, Derek."  
  
Derek reaches a hand behind him, tugging his henley over his head and tossing it aside. Her hands are immediately on his chest, nails softly raking down, right over his nipples. He makes a pleased sound, licking his lips. When he feels her fingers tugging on his pants he helps her, him unbuttoning while she unzips.  
  
Somehow he ends up on his back, Melissa eagerly tugging his pants over his hips. They get bunched around his knees and he helps her, kicking them away with his feet. His knees are still bent, legs splayed open at Melissa in invitation, and she crawls right between his legs, digging her fingers into his thighs.  
  
Derek groans, eyes rolling up. His cock pushes against the confines of his briefs, and they feel so constricting all of a sudden, making him groan in protest.  
  
Melissa watches Derek open up before her eyes going hot all over at the sight of him. She knew he was muscular, but this is so much more. There are defined lines and cuts of muscle, tanned skin stretching out as he relaxes, a nice sprinkling of hair covers his thighs and legs, dusting along his abdomen and under his breastbone. She licks and bites at her lips staring at the hard line of his cock hiding in his black briefs. She can feel his eyes on her but she can't stop watching his hips undulate, cock sliding along the fabric of his briefs, and she's so turned on that Derek is getting off on her just looking at him.  
  
"You," she sighs, falling on top of him, pressing every inch of her body to Derek's. "Are so incredibly sexy."  
  
Derek smiles lazily at her.  
  
"Well, right back at you."  
  
Melissa kisses that smile, sighing again, completely content.  
  
"Can I kiss you?" Derek asks.  
  
Melissa was listening to his heart beat, fingers tracing circles on his skin, lifting her head with a smile.  
  
"Of course." She's leaning down until Derek stops her. "What?"  
  
Derek's flipping them over again, placing a kiss under her chin. He remains quiet, peppering kisses down her chest, brushing his thumbs over her nipples through her bra. He does it again to hear the noises she makes. His mouth finally kisses that freckle, tongue tasting her skin before nosing down her stomach, breathing in the rich smell of her skin. He gently pushes her legs open, Melissa's knees bracketing him, and he leans down slowly, mouth hovering as he breathes hotly against her making her shudder and roll.  
  
"Oh," she chokes out, giggling. "Right, okay. Yeah." She nods at him. "Yes, yes..." opening her legs wider for Derek.  
  
Derek kisses the inside of her thighs, her calves, even her ankles -- he finds a freckle on her left ankle and kisses that one too. He let's his hands speak for him, fingers trailing along the slopes and dips of her body, muscles toned from years of being on her feet and working around the house, he supposes. He spreads his hands open against her pelvis, palms pressing down on her hips making her moan. He watches everything she's feeling play over her face, her eyes rolling up, mouth parting, back arching, hips bucking up into his touch as she allows herself to lose control.  
  
"Driving me crazy," she whispers, back arching with another frustrated moan.  
  
Derek leans in close, eyes closing as he breathes in a richer form of the scent he could smell from the moment she cornered him in the kitchen. He feels a wave of possessiveness overtake him momentarily, not wanting another man to know her this intimately, and Derek doesn't know how to process that at the moment. She's wearing peach colored underwear that hug her hips exactly right, and Derek licks along the hem, gently snapping the elastic, grinning mischievously up at her.  
  
"You're playful?" She runs a hand through his hair, tugging.  
  
"I can be when I want to, and I really want to right now."  
  
Melissa hums, undulating her hips at him.  
  
Derek settles his hands on her, licking her right through her underwear.  
  
Melissa cries out, hands fisting in the pillows above her head. The last time anyone did this to her was high school. It wasn't even that memorable, Melissa thinks, but this, with Derek, it's already one of the best nights of her life.  
  
Derek feels the change in her body, lifting up so he can look at her.  
  
"Everything okay? Tell me to stop and I will."  
  
Melissa laughs. "If you stop I'll," she tries to remember the stories Stiles told about Derek, remembering that one line. "Rip your throat out, with my teeth."  
  
Derek laughs against her stomach, placing a kiss on her belly button.  
  
"Yes ma'am," he murmurs. Derek grips her underwear in his fingers, and Melissa's already lifting her hips for him, sliding them down her legs, catching one of her legs so he can kiss his way down.  
  
Melissa arches, biting down on her lower lip, shivering hard. She mentally tries to prepare for the first swipe of his tongue along her slit, his thumbs gently spreading her open to taste more of her, but it all goes out the window when it happens. His tongue feels hot and heavy inside her, gently and slowly licking her folds, pushing his tongue inside her.  
  
" _Oh_ ," she moans, jerking at the sensation.  
  
Derek doesn't stop her moving, just moves with her, needing to taste her badly as he gently pushes his tongue further inside her. He pulls away kissing the inside of her thigh, letting her get used to him, mouthing along her skin placing kisses across her slit. He let's the tip of his tongue lick her clit, his fingers spreading her open to lick it more, applying gentle pressure.  
  
Melissa groans, feeling itchy and agitated, needing more. More of Derek's tongue. She reaches down and grips the back of his head, pressing him closer.  
  
"More," she sighs, moaning when he obliges her.  
  
He licks a hot line up her cunt and then he goes for it, giving her long, laving licks with his tongue that make her entire body shake under him. When she rests a leg over his shoulder he thinks nothing of it, the weight is minimal and he barely feels it, distracted by the tangy, wet taste of her cunt. He spreads her folds open a little more, fucking her with the tip of his tongue, growling when he feels her flex around his tongue.  
  
Melissa's going out of her mind. Her temples are wet with sweat, her body flush with arousal, and the constant scratch of Derek's beard combined with the heavy swipe of his tongue is driving her closer to the edge. "Derekderekderek," she mumbles, twisting beneath him, crying out each time he delicately flicks his tongue over her clit. She feels one of his hands sliding up her body until he's squeezing her breast making her moan a little loudly when he starts thumbing her nipple in time with the movements of his tongue.  
  
"Derek..." she moans brokenly.  
  
Derek noses in deeper, mouth and chin wet as he licks and licks, tongue-fucking her open. He's lost in the heady scent of her cunt, almost growling as she gets wetter under his mouth. She digs her foot into his back and it feels fantastic, that Derek can drive Melissa to the brink like this. He nudges a finger at her folds, teasing, slowly slipping it inside her cunt all the way to the knuckle. He hears her choked off moans above him, her other foot slipping on the bed to find purchase, bucking her hips upupup to his mouth, and he moves with her. His mouth opens around her, tongue lolling out to flick over her clit, his finger still moving in and out, in and out.  
  
Her climax hits her quick, unexpectedly; a constant buildup to the moment when Derek wrapped those plush lips around her clit and suckled. Her whole body is a crumbling mess of waves of tremors and sweat. The first impact is like a rush, hitting her fast at the first touch of Derek's lips and the loud sound he made when he sucked on her clit. After that she just kept cresting, somehow coming again from his unrelenting finger driving deep inside her, rubbing her out through the first wave before the second hits her. She lies there gasping for air while Derek continues licking her, licking everywhere but where she wants him but can't, not right now. He finally gives up, kissing the inside of her thigh now, resting his head on her stomach.  
  
"Mmn," she hums contentedly, fingers carding through Derek's sweaty hair.  
  
She feels him kiss her cheek, blinking her eyes open when she sees him getting off the bed.  
  
"Where're you going?"  
  
"Bathroom. I'll be back, don't worry."  
  
She doesn't know how much time has passed but she's aware of Derek's return, opening her legs to him when she feels a cool washcloth on her calf. It's intimate, and very kind of Derek, and Melissa feels like her heart might burst with how much she loves Derek in this moment; that really frightens her.  
  
"You okay?" He says in her ear, kissing her shoulder.  
  
She smiles sleepily at him, nodding slowly. She watches the gentleness and care that Derek takes in cleaning her up, catching a smile from him when he looks at her.  
  
"Water?" She asks.  
  
He gets off the bed again, coming out of the bathroom now with a glass of water.  
  
She watches him closely as she drinks, peeking down at his crotch where he's still half-hard.  
  
"Don't worry about me, Melissa."  
  
"But I want to," she says, setting the glass on the table by the bed. "Let me?"  
  
Derek shakes his head at her.  
  
"You don't have... you don't have to do that."  
  
"But I want to," she says with a little more conviction. She crawls on top of him, rubbing herself along the hard line of his cock, mouth open against his, smiling. "Let me take care of you now."  
  
"I might not last very long," he warns. "Still pent up from... watching you."  
  
Melissa grins down at him sitting right on his thighs. She can see the tip of his cock breaching the band of his briefs, and she has an overwhelming urge to lick it.  
  
Derek can sense the heightened peak of arousal in her looking at his cock, the uptick in her heart beat as she continues to look. He groans when she licks her lips.  
  
Melissa slowly pulls down his briefs enough that she can wrap a hand around Derek. He's big in her small hand, giving him an experimental stroke, and maybe she gets a little too eager because he stops her with a grip on her wrist.  
  
"Wait, wait," Derek pants. He guides her hand, telling her when to squeeze, or squeeze harder.  
  
"It doesn't hurt?" She asks, squeezing the tip until it's a deep red, watching a drop of come bead on the tip.  
  
Derek's eyes roll up. "Ohfuck," he breathes out. "Again, do that again."  
  
Melissa eases him into it, stroking with a sure hand now, knowing what he likes and what will get him to make those punched-out noises. She squeezes a little too hard this time but Derek doesn't seem to mind, asking her to stroke him faster.  
  
"Yeahyeah," he instructs, watching his cock slide between her fingers. He comes quickly, gritting out her name between clenched teeth. Derek slumps into the pillows, gathering Melissa against him when she kisses him.  
  
"Blech, sticky," she laughs. "Hang on."  
  
Derek reluctantly lets go of her, watching her pull her underwear back on before tiptoeing to the bathroom. He doesn't open his eyes the whole time she cleans him up, reveling in the feel of her sure, gentle hands, snapping his briefs back in place making him grunt.  
  
"Retaliation," she smirks, handing him a glass of water.  
  
"Cheeky," he chuckles, gathering her back into his arms.  
  
Melissa falls asleep with her head tucked under Derek's chin, right in his arms, safe and sound.  
___  
  
Melissa wakes up first, peeking open an eye at Derek, who's snoring softly.  
  
She hears Scott moving about downstairs, motherly instinct kicking in. Derek grunts when she extricates herself from his arms, kissing his forehead, waiting until he relaxes before grabbing her robe.  
  
"Morning, Mom," Scott mumbles around a mouthful of cereal.  
  
She greets him with a kiss on his cheek, laughing when he grumbles about being an adult.  
  
"You're still my little Scotty and I will kiss you when I want."  
  
She gets the coffeemaker going, smiling to herself when she remembers Derek is still upstairs. In her bed. Half-naked.  
  
"So Derek stayed over?"  
  
Melissa spins around, blushing.  
  
"Y _eees_ ," she says slowly.  
  
Scott wrinkles his nose.  
  
"If you love your mother you won't say what you're thinking."  
  
Before Scott gets a chance Derek stumbles into the kitchen, still wearing his black briefs.  
  
"Oh my god..." Scott groans.  
  
"Sorry?" Derek shrugs, looking down at himself.  
  
"I'm scarred for life, oh my god."  
  
"I'm gonna... go get some pants." Derek points over his shoulder.  
  
Melissa covers her mouth, laughing silently.  
  
Scott shudders, "Mom. Oh my god, Mom, seriously? Derek’s hairy thighs first thing in the morning..."  
  
"You don't know other places he has hair," she sing-songs. She heads back upstairs with coffee for herself and orange juice for Derek while Scott screams half-heartedly in anguish.  
  
~*~  
  
Melissa is asleep until she feels something vibrating under her head.  
  
When it stops and starts again does Melissa realize it's her phone; she keeps her phone under her pillow now, for Scott.  
  
"Mmf? Hello?"  
  
"Shit," Derek mutters. "I woke you up."  
  
Melissa stretches with a groan, pressing her face into her pillow with a grin.  
  
"Morning, Derek."  
  
"Afternoon, actually," he laughs. "Did you want to go back to sleep? I'm sorry."  
  
"No, don't," she says quickly, going quiet for a few seconds. "I miss you."  
  
"I can... come over?" Derek offers hesitantly.  
  
She feels hot all over, toes curling at the thought.  
  
"I think Scott is hanging out with Stiles today," she teases, hoping he'll catch on.  
  
"I'll be over in ten minutes."  
  
"But it takes thirty minutes to get here from the loft."  
  
"Not when I'm running," he growls softly.  
  
Melissa bites her lip, grinning.  
  
"Well, I'll be waiting."  
___  
  
It's unreal, Melissa thinks, how Derek makes her feel like a twenty-year-old girl all over again. She knows how she is when she looks at him, when she smiles at him, but she can't help herself -- he makes her feel unbelievably happy. Sometimes they'll sit on the couch and talk for hours, which is nice, really nice, actually. Melissa finds that it's so easy to fall into any topic of conversation with Derek and it doesn’t hurt that sometimes he'll massage her feet and let her rant about work.  
  
When she answers the door Derek lifts her up, and her arms and legs instantly wrap around him, already panting to get to his mouth. Lately they're so needy for each other. Maybe it's because she knows the both of them have been alone for so long that any human contact is like a drug. Derek likes her, a lot, and Melissa definitely reciprocates that.  
  
Derek walks up the stairs with Melissa clinging to him, her hands holding his face as she sucks kisses from his lips, biting, even.  
  
Derek hisses, pulling back. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing, I..." she stares at his face. "I had a bad night, which is why I slept in, and I..." she swallows, emotion constricting her throat. "I need you. Here."  
  
"I'm here," he whispers, kissing her gently.  
  
But she bites down on his lip again making him growl.  
  
"Melissa."  
  
"Derek," she presses against his hips, harder now. "I need you."  
  
He stares at her until he gets it, swallowing.  
  
"C'mon, keep walking," she encourages, realizing that they're still in the hallway.  
  
Derek kicks open the door of her bedroom, kicking it back closed, one hand squeezing her thighs as he stalks to the bed.  
  
Melissa leans in kissing his neck, pushing her nose to gain more access, biting down hard. She rears back when she hears him growl, blunt human nails dig harder on her thigh. She's really crossing a line, she knows that, but she just... she needs him. She wants to give herself over to all the feelings she has for him, to know what it feels like when he loses control, because of her.  
  
"Melissa," he warns, eyes bleeding red.  
  
She nips at his mouth, circling her hips against him.  
  
"I want this," she says. "I want all of you."  
  
Derek drops her on the bed making her bounce a bit. She's not expecting it and she makes a shocked little laugh as she bounces. The way his eyes rove over her body makes her feel bold, spreading her legs open for him, eyes widening when she watches his body ripple. She rolls up on her knees, reaching out a hand to him.  
  
"Derek?"  
  
His eyes are shut as he takes deep breaths; her scent, he thinks. It's overwhelming his senses, and his mind keeps replaying her telling him that she wants all of him. He balls his hands into fists hoping his claws don't come out, shuddering when another ripple rolls over his body.  
  
He feels her lips touch his, her hands caressing, comforting.  
  
"Breathe, Derek."  
  
Derek nods, shucking his jacket off and then his shirt, feeling flushed, panting heavily staring at Melissa. His vision is a hazy red, snuffling softly, kneeling on the bed pushing Melissa down and immediately scenting her.  
  
Melissa's aware of what's happening, holding still as she lets Derek do his thing. Scott and Isaac explained that sometimes wolves, in order to remain in control, to protect what is theirs, that they'll scent. She had no idea it'd be like this though, with Derek nosing at the skin of her belly, her tank top rucked up under her breasts. Melissa can't keep up, and now Derek's nosing along her neck and throat, tilting her head back for him.  
  
Derek growls predatorily, making Melissa shiver.  
  
"Off," he rasps in her ear, plucking her tank top.  
  
Melissa pulls it off fast, she’s not wearing a bra as surprise for Derek, and she bites her lip at his intake of breath.  
  
Derek presses his face between her breasts, squeezing them gently in his hands, tongue flicking out to taste the skin.  
  
"Ohhh..." Melissa arches under him. "Yes..."  
  
Derek sucks a nipple into his mouth, teeth grazing over the taut bud, letting his tongue barely move as he licks it. He gently squeezes her breast making the nipple pop up against the cool air, mouth moving to do the same to her other nipple.  
  
Melissa bites her index finger, groaning against the back of her hand.  
  
Now Derek alternates between sucking each nipple as hard as he can until Melissa cries out, begging him to stop.  
  
"You really want me to stop?" Derek kisses down her abdomen, easily pulling down her shorts and growling when her scent hits his nose. "Are you trying to kill me?"  
  
"Underwear gets in the way," she grins down at him.  
  
Melissa sighs happily at the first swipe of his tongue, heavy in her cunt when he starts licking her open, spreading her legs wider.  
  
"More," she moans, toes curling.  
  
Derek keeps his thumb rubbing on her clit as his tongue fucks her, holding her folds open with his fingers, already slippery, his tongue licking it up.  
  
Melissa has no idea how long it goes on, but she's so close and she wants more -- she wants Derek inside her.  
  
"Get inside me," she whispers, head tossing from side to side.  
  
Derek definitely knows what Melissa wants, because he wants it too.  
  
"Do you want me to fuck you?"  
  
Melissa nods fast, licking her lips, arching her hips.  
  
"Say it, Melissa."  
  
She opens her mouth but Derek chooses that moment to rub her clit, panting harder, louder, shouting his name to make him stop.  
  
"Ohmygod, Derek," she throws her head back. "I want you to. Want you to fuck me." Any other time she might feel embarrassed for being so open like that, but this is Derek. Derek makes her feel this way, and she wants him to know. She reaches down touching herself along with him. "I want you so much," she says honestly.  
  
Derek swallows back his emotions. He can sense it, smell it on Melissa - her want for him. But there's something else underneath, something that's familiar.  
  
"Condom?" He asks, still touching her.  
  
"Drawer," she points dazedly.  
  
Derek finds one in the box, and also grabs the lube. He reluctantly had to get off the bed, away from Melissa, to get to the drawer and find the condom. He quickly rids himself of his pants and briefs, kicking them aside, kneeling back on the bed carefully rolling the condom on.  
  
Melissa keeps her legs spread wide, watching Derek. He looks so unbelievably sexy right now as he preps himself, as he preps himself, stroking his cock and looking at her like he wants in. Suddenly Derek is there between her thighs, very warm and heavy. She tugs him even closer, wanting to feel his body crushing hers.  
  
"Feel so good," Melissa murmurs into his mouth, kissing him.  
  
Derek guides himself in with an experimental but gentle thrust. Both of them go still, panting and staring at one another.  
  
Melissa rolls her hips to get Derek to move, and quickly enough Derek is slowly fucking her. Melissa clings to him, biting his shoulder, raking her nails down his back to make him go faster. She knows he wants to be gentle, that he's afraid of maybe breaking her, but it'll take a lot to break Melissa McCall. Derek starts fucking her deeper, her hips stuttering to meet his thrusts, one hand reaching down to grip his ass.  
  
"Harder, _fuck_ ," Melissa moans, pulling his face down for a kiss.  
  
Derek snaps his hips, the soft slap of skin against skin is loud to his sensitive ears, going harder so he can keep hearing it.  
  
Melissa turns her face away to take a breath, Derek's mouth panting hot, open-mouthed on her cheek.  
  
"'Lissa, fuck," Derek breathes shakily.  
  
Melissa flexes around his cock and oh that was the exact thing to do, throwing her head back with a loud moan. "Right there, right there, don't stop..."  
  
Derek thumbs a nipple, squeezing her breast as he fucks her right where she's telling him with her whimpers and words of encouragement. He can sense that she’s close, and he is too lacing his fingers with hers, stretching Melissa's arms above her head.  
  
Melissa stares into his eyes, tightening her fingers with Derek's, holding on with every fiber of her being. Derek hits just right again and she cries out, bright white spots flickering in her vision, thighs squeezing around Derek as she comes. She wants him to come too, flexing around his still thrusting cock, his face buried in her neck.  
  
Derek squeezes her hands tightly, stutterfucking as he starts to come, his cock sliding out of her because she’s so wet. He kisses her lazily but deeply, suddenly exhausted, collapsing right on top of her.  
  
They lie there, sweaty and sticky, both reveling in the feel of the other.  
  
Melissa traces Derek's tattoo with her finger while Derek listens to the steady _thumpthump_ of her heart. There are no spikes, no upticks, only the steady _thumpthump_ of complete contentment and Derek loves her in this moment.  
  
"That was... fantastic," she smiles.  
  
"Mmhn," Derek hums. "You were amazing. Unbelievable."  
  
They take a shower together, taking their time cleaning each other while pausing to kiss, to touch. Melissa kisses him tenderly, and Derek touches her like she's the last woman he ever wants to touch. When they get back in bed they have sex again, Melissa on top, both of them clinging to each other and fucking like it's the first time all over again; maybe that's how it'll always be -- on the edge of want and desperation for them.  
  
Derek stays the night again, spooned behind Melissa.  
  
He can't recall being happier.  
___  
  
Without thinking anything of it Scott walked into his mom's room, not at all expecting to see a most likely naked Derek in bed with his mom.  
  
Stiles runs into Scott, looking around Scott's shoulder confused, and then squawking at the sight.  
  
"Oh my god!" Stiles yells, running out of the room.  
  
So that's how Derek finds himself sitting on the couch beside an overwhelmingly embarrassed Melissa.  
  
"Are we being punished?" Derek asks, a little bite in his voice.  
  
"Hey! Quiet, you." Stiles points.  
  
Derek smacks Stiles' hand away with more force than he intended, but he really doesn't care.  
  
"Are you two... _together_ together?" Scott asks his mom.  
  
Melissa looks at Derek. She's scared out of her mind, because she doesn't even begin to know what this is.  
  
"I don't know," she answers quietly.  
  
"Derek!?" Scott looks incredulous.  
  
Derek shifts so he's looking at Melissa, ignoring the glares from Scott and Stiles.  
  
"Hey." Derek takes one of her hands, lacing their fingers together. "I really like you, if that wasn't already obvious."  
  
"Ditto," Melissa smiles timidly.  
  
Derek smiles at that.  
  
"I can't make any promises."  
  
"I'm not asking you to."  
  
"You deserve so much better than me."  
  
"Let me decide that for myself."  
  
"I'm terrible with relationships."  
  
"I'm divorced, Derek. I've made mistakes, maybe not the mistakes Scott's father made, but no one is perfect."  
  
"I love being around you, and talking to you. I can be open with you in a way I haven't been able to in a very long time."  
  
Melissa wants to hug him, instead she kisses Derek on the cheek.  
  
"You reminded me what it feels like to be touched, in every way a person can be touched. I get so lonely, but when I'm with you I feel safe. I feel wanted."  
  
"This is so, so awkward," Stiles whispers, making a pained noise when Scott punches him, punching Scott back. It obviously does nothing.  
  
"Do you even want a boyfriend?” Derek asks.  
  
Melissa shrugs. "I don't know? I do know," she nods slowly, thinking. "That I don't want you kissing anyone else?"  
  
"Oh my god, your mom totally wants Derek to be her boyfriend!" Stiles chuckles, shutting up when Scott elbows him.  
  
"Seriously, Mom?"  
  
Melissa looks at her son. "Scott, I love you, but this isn't about you."  
  
"Mom..." Scott sounds hurt.  
  
"I mean," she holds up her hands, placating. "You're my son and you don't get a say in this part of my life, okay?"  
  
"But, Mom," Scott looks at Derek quickly then back to her. "I don't want you to get hurt."  
  
"You really think I'll hurt your mother?" Derek looks at Scott, shocked at the accusation.  
  
"Maybe? You don't know what will happen!"  
  
"And that's a risk I'm willing to take," Melissa looks back at Derek, shrugging at him as if to say 'what about you?'  
  
Derek's mouth twitches.  
  
"I'm all for taking risks."  
  
Scott huffs.  
  
"Dude, they're consenting adults who are making a very adult decision. Give them a break," Stiles concedes, throwing his arms out when Scott looks at him, betrayed.  
  
"I'm so happy to have the permission of the person who isn't Melissa's son," Derek deadpans.  
  
Stiles makes a mocking face at Derek, giving him a rude gesture.  
  
"Hey!" Melissa's voice rises. "Manners, Stiles Stilinski."  
  
"Sorry," he mumbles, glaring at Derek who's smirking at him.  
  
"Don't test me." Melissa arches an eyebrow at Derek. "I know you like to egg him on to get a rise out of him."  
  
Derek gapes at her.  
  
Stiles cackles.  
  
"Well I'm glad everyone is a ball of sunshine about this," Scott bites out, glaring at his mom.  
  
Melissa stands up, pulling Scott into her arms. She smiles when she feels his arms around her waist, and she thinks about how long it's been since she's hugged Scott like this and it makes her sad.  
  
"I love you, Scotty."  
  
"I know, Mom."  
  
"I like him. _A lot._ "  
  
Scott tenses up, but sighs, tightening his arms around her.  
  
"I know, Mom."  
  
Melissa pulls back, ruffling his hair, kissing his forehead.  
  
"Trust your mother?"  
  
Scott nods looking down at the floor.  
  
"Okay great. Now if you don't mind I'm taking my fella back to bed."  
  
"Mom, no."  
  
Melissa pulls Derek to his feet, wrapping her arms around his neck, grinning.  
  
"He looks great half-naked, even better fully naked."  
  
"Mom!"  
  
"I threw up in my mouth a little," Stiles cries pitifully.  
  
Derek tunes them out, sharing a secret smile with Melissa.  
  
"I like you," he whispers.  
  
Melissa kisses him. "I like you too," she whispers back.

**Author's Note:**

> All my undying love and gratitude to [bottledminx](http://archiveofourown.org/users/bottledminx) and [mumblo](http://archiveofourown.org/users/mumblo) for their superb beta work. A lot of damage control was done to make this fic what it is, and I can never thank you both enough. Seriously.
> 
> This loosely follows season 3; few elements are mentioned, so it isn't entirely diverging from canon. I intentionally left Erica out, for reasons, in case anyone was wondering.
> 
> Shoutout to my cheerleaders throughout this whole thing, and experienced this fic unbetaed on Twitlonger: [stripedteacups](http://archiveofourown.org/users/stripedteacups), [TheMoltenMoon](http://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMoltenMoon), and [daleked](http://archiveofourown.org/users/daleked). 
> 
> _Swimming in the Flood_ by Passion Pit is my song for them. Listen and love.
> 
> I'm on [tumblr](http://ionsquare.tumbr.com)! Come say hi?


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